Michael Aufrichtig and Margaret Lu after winning Gold in the Junior Women's Foil

Courtesy: Columbia University Athletics

Lions Capture Gold, Top Finishes at Fencing Summer Nationals

COLUMBUS, OHIO – While many student-athletes take time to train and rest in the off-season, members of Columbia fencing team continue to take the floor at national competitions, most recently at the United States Fencing Association Summer Nationals.

Headlining the Lions’ success was sophomore foilist Margaret Lu, who brought home gold after defeating a field of 170 fencers. Columbia fencing head coach and London Olympic coach Michael Aufrichtig also earned a spot on top of the podium fencing for the New York Athletic Club alongside former Columbia standouts Michael Feldschuh (‘91CC) and Jon Normile (‘89CC) in the Men’s Epee Veteran Team competition.

“It was great to see our fencers accomplish so much at Summer Nationals,” said Aufrichtig. “Both the returning team and incoming freshmen reached the podium many times. It was also good for me to be back out in the competitive field and bring back a gold for Columbia!”

Returning sophomore Justin Wan was nearly unbeatable as he finished in third place out of 309 fencers in the men’s epee.

Several incoming freshmen also made their marks at the tournament, including bronze medals for Sara Taffel in the junior women’s foil and Mason Speta in women’s epee.

In the team competitions, Columbia fencers Harry Bergman and Adam Mathieu lifted the Empire United Fencing Club to a gold-medal finish in the Senior Team Men’s Foil, while sophomore Geoffrey Loss and incoming first-year Michael Costin earned gold for the Avant Guard Fencing Club in the senior men’s sabre.